Association's Mission
The mission of the Illinois Track and Cross Country Association is to provide its members with the
opportunity to develop their professional skills to better serve the sports of track and cross country.
To achieve this goal the association provides: training and educational programs for all officials;
information on the state of officiating; retain and recruit officials, through the mentoring program; a code of
ethics and sportsmanship and educational programs for athletes, coaches, administrators and the public.
The mission of the Illinois Track and Cross Country Association is to provide its members with the
opportunity to develop their professional skills to better serve the sports of track and cross country.
To achieve this goal the association provides: training and educational programs for all officials;
information on the state of officiating; retain and recruit officials, through the mentoring program; a code of
ethics and sportsmanship and educational programs for athletes, coaches, administrators and the public.
2008 President's Message
Greetings to the Illinois Track and Cross Country Officials Association from your new President, Owen Fuller,
and best wishes for the 2008 Track and Field and Cross Country seasons. I would like to take this opportunity
to repeat the major points from my State of the Organization comments originally given at the December 2007
ITCCOA Annual Meeting in Oglesby.
Let us begin by asking ourselves where the ITCCOA is today, what our strengths are and why are we an
effective organization. The answers to these questions fit in three major categories: Professionalism,
Recruitment and Mentoring, and Recognition.
At our Annual Meeting, email comments from both IESA and IHSA coaches were read praising the
professionalism and consistency of our officials in the Cross Country state series at both the Junior High
and High School levels. Many coaches look to officials wearing blue jackets with orange sleeves as a sign
that they are going to have a well-run meet. Also, due in a large degree to the efforts of many ITCCOA
members, the new three-class IHSA State Meet went very smoothly, as shown by comments by the IHSA’s
Ron McGraw and Meet Manager Chris Perry at our Annual Meeting.
For the past several years the ITCCOA, through a grant from the IHSA, has provided a Rules Test Review
PowerPoint CD for use by our section leaders to stimulate discussion of the rules among our members. In
addition, all of the rules interpreters and clinicians in Track and Field and Cross Country in Illinois are
members of the ITCCOA. They represent our organization as well as the IHSA in providing professional
education to coaches and officials throughout the state. Furthermore, the head officials in the Track and Field
and Cross Country state series are ITCCOA members, leading corps of officials in what are nationally
recognized as outstanding State Meets.
Several years ago, through a second grant from the IHSA, the ITCCOA started a mentoring program for new
officials. We have also cooperated with the coaches in the ITCCCA in putting on new officials clinics with the
goal of recruiting new officials. One only has to look at the numbers of officials in our sports, and their
average age, to see that mentoring and recruitment efforts must be continued.
Our organization has also created two award programs to recognize those who excel. This year at our Annual
Meeting, we inducted three more outstanding officials into our Hall of Fame, and recognized our second
annual Rookie of the Year.
Now let us ask ourselves where the ITCCOA needs to go in the future. Obviously, this organization needs to
continue to grow and strengthen in the areas of Professionalism, Recruitment and Mentoring, and
Recognition. But we also need to work on at least two additional areas: Communications and the Observers
Program.
All of us, from the top down, need to work at improving communications between members of the ITCCOA,
and between the ITCCOA and the IHSA. The officers and section leaders must effectively communicate with
each other to determine the future direction for this organization. We must also relay our plans and other
important news to our members, and bring ideas, information and concerns back from our members. Our
members will need to continue to communicate with each other to maintain the high degree of
professionalism which is a hallmark of the ITCCOA.
As part of this improved communications, we need to make better use of our website, ITCCOA.org. All of us
should be contributing pertinent information to the website for the good of all officials. We all need to also
check the website on a regular basis to find out what new information is available. For example, the new IHSA
Severe Weather policy has been posted on the ITCCOA website for the benefit of our members.
The IHSA has mandated that all officials associations start an observers program, with the ultimate goal of
improving officiating in the State of Illinois. The ITCCOA is taking the necessary steps to implement this
program. At this time, the details are still being discussed. We must determine who will be observed, by
whom, how often, and using what instrument. What we do know is that the evaluations do not go to the IHSA
for any purpose.
I would like to close by saying that it gives me great pride to be associated with an organization such as the
ITCCOA, and that I am sure we of the ITCCOA will continue to help provide memorable experiences to the
Track and Field and Cross Country athletes of the State of Illinois.
Owen Fuller, President
Greetings to the Illinois Track and Cross Country Officials Association from your new President, Owen Fuller,
and best wishes for the 2008 Track and Field and Cross Country seasons. I would like to take this opportunity
to repeat the major points from my State of the Organization comments originally given at the December 2007
ITCCOA Annual Meeting in Oglesby.
Let us begin by asking ourselves where the ITCCOA is today, what our strengths are and why are we an
effective organization. The answers to these questions fit in three major categories: Professionalism,
Recruitment and Mentoring, and Recognition.
At our Annual Meeting, email comments from both IESA and IHSA coaches were read praising the
professionalism and consistency of our officials in the Cross Country state series at both the Junior High
and High School levels. Many coaches look to officials wearing blue jackets with orange sleeves as a sign
that they are going to have a well-run meet. Also, due in a large degree to the efforts of many ITCCOA
members, the new three-class IHSA State Meet went very smoothly, as shown by comments by the IHSA’s
Ron McGraw and Meet Manager Chris Perry at our Annual Meeting.
For the past several years the ITCCOA, through a grant from the IHSA, has provided a Rules Test Review
PowerPoint CD for use by our section leaders to stimulate discussion of the rules among our members. In
addition, all of the rules interpreters and clinicians in Track and Field and Cross Country in Illinois are
members of the ITCCOA. They represent our organization as well as the IHSA in providing professional
education to coaches and officials throughout the state. Furthermore, the head officials in the Track and Field
and Cross Country state series are ITCCOA members, leading corps of officials in what are nationally
recognized as outstanding State Meets.
Several years ago, through a second grant from the IHSA, the ITCCOA started a mentoring program for new
officials. We have also cooperated with the coaches in the ITCCCA in putting on new officials clinics with the
goal of recruiting new officials. One only has to look at the numbers of officials in our sports, and their
average age, to see that mentoring and recruitment efforts must be continued.
Our organization has also created two award programs to recognize those who excel. This year at our Annual
Meeting, we inducted three more outstanding officials into our Hall of Fame, and recognized our second
annual Rookie of the Year.
Now let us ask ourselves where the ITCCOA needs to go in the future. Obviously, this organization needs to
continue to grow and strengthen in the areas of Professionalism, Recruitment and Mentoring, and
Recognition. But we also need to work on at least two additional areas: Communications and the Observers
Program.
All of us, from the top down, need to work at improving communications between members of the ITCCOA,
and between the ITCCOA and the IHSA. The officers and section leaders must effectively communicate with
each other to determine the future direction for this organization. We must also relay our plans and other
important news to our members, and bring ideas, information and concerns back from our members. Our
members will need to continue to communicate with each other to maintain the high degree of
professionalism which is a hallmark of the ITCCOA.
As part of this improved communications, we need to make better use of our website, ITCCOA.org. All of us
should be contributing pertinent information to the website for the good of all officials. We all need to also
check the website on a regular basis to find out what new information is available. For example, the new IHSA
Severe Weather policy has been posted on the ITCCOA website for the benefit of our members.
The IHSA has mandated that all officials associations start an observers program, with the ultimate goal of
improving officiating in the State of Illinois. The ITCCOA is taking the necessary steps to implement this
program. At this time, the details are still being discussed. We must determine who will be observed, by
whom, how often, and using what instrument. What we do know is that the evaluations do not go to the IHSA
for any purpose.
I would like to close by saying that it gives me great pride to be associated with an organization such as the
ITCCOA, and that I am sure we of the ITCCOA will continue to help provide memorable experiences to the
Track and Field and Cross Country athletes of the State of Illinois.
Owen Fuller, President
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| ILLINOIS TRACK AND CROSS COUNTRY OFFICIALS |